Penn State football fans wear Charlie Kirk Freedom shirts as they pay tribute to assassinated podcaster

Weeks after Charlie Kirk's passing, Penn State football fans attended the college football game between Penn State Nittany Lions and Oregon Ducks wearing the American political activist's "Freedom" t-shirt. For those unversed, Charlie Kirk was shot dead on September 10 while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University, Orem.

According to Fox News, Turning Point USA, a non-profit organisation founded by Kirk, was behind the initiative and handed out five thousand "FREEDOM" shirts to fans who attended the game. Kirk, who was an Oregon Ducks supporter, was wearing a similar shirt when he was shot dead, the outlet added.

🚨 JUST IN: The 5,000 Charlie Kirk FREEDOM shirts have made their way into the crowd at the Oregon v Penn State game tonight.

These young men and women will vote to save the United States in every future election. MANY new voters were gained today. 🇺🇸pic.twitter.com/m1TPJ0t5Ug

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 28, 2025

Speaking about the initiative in a recent episode of Will Cain Country podcast, conservative commentator Benny Johnson said.

"In the vein and in honor of Charlie Kirk, we are going to fight cultural battles, and we are going to win them in an arena that Charlie loved so very much — college football. This was a game that Charlie Kirk was going to attend. Charlie Kirk loves Oregon, but he also has a bunch of fans at Penn State and has done huge events there."

Meanwhile, Oregon football Head Coach Dan Lanning also opened up about Kirk's passing after his team's victory over Northwestern.

"I recently found out Charlie Kirk was an Oregon fan, right? I didn't know that. I hurt for his wife, Erika, and their kids. That sort of evil should never exist in our country, and that's what it is — evil. I remember having to explain that to my family, right? I remember sitting down with my kids and explaining what happened, and they're talking about people talking about it at school. And it's just sad, right?"

Lanning continued:

"But it's just as sad — every day it seems like we deal with some sort of violence that's going on in our country, whether it's school kids in Colorado or kids in Minnesota at churches. I mean, life matters, and I think we've lost sight of that. But I just wish the world could learn a little bit of something from our locker room, because we've got a bunch of people with differences, and what you've got in there is a bunch people there."

Meanwhile, on Saturday night at Beaver Stadium in Pennsylvania, the Oregon Ducks claimed a 30-24 victory.

Charlie Kirk's wife forgives his suspected shooter

Erika Kirk forgave Charlie Kirk's shooter, Tyler Robinson, in a memorial service held on Sunday, September 21, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, to honor her husband.

"My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life. Our Savior said, 'Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do.' That young man … I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it's what Charlie would do."

She emphasized that the "answer to hate is not hate," adding:

"The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us."

However, President Donald Trump, who was also present at the event, disagreed with Erika's remarks, claiming that he "hates" his opponents.

"Charlie Kirk truly was ... he was a missionary with a noble spirit and a great, great purpose. He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That's where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent and I don't want the best for them. I'm sorry, I am sorry, Erika. But now Erika can talk to me and the whole group and maybe they can convince me that’s not right, but I cannot stand my opponent."

Meanwhile, Tyler Robinson, Charlie Kirk's suspected shooter, was taken into custody on September 12 and has been charged with "aggravated murder, two counts of obstruction of justice, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of witness tampering, and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child," according to CNN.

A video of Kirk's assassination shows him sitting under a white tent debating with an audience about gun violence and mass shootings when suddenly he is struck by a gunshot to his neck. He recoils before collapsing.